Tuesday, December 19, 2006

SACRAMENTO — For years, activists in the marijuana legalization movement have claimed that cannabis is America's biggest cash crop. Now they're citing government statistics to prove it.

A report released today by a marijuana public policy analyst contends that the market value of pot produced in the U.S. exceeds $35 billion — far more than the crop value of such heartland staples as corn, soybeans and hay, which are the top three legal cash crops.

California is responsible for more than a third of the cannabis harvest, with an estimated production of $13.8 billion that exceeds the value of the state's grapes, vegetables and hay combined — and marijuana is the top cash crop in a dozen states, the report states...

Sunday, December 10, 2006

The Tshwane Metro Police are helping to reclaim a green area in Centurion for the birds, putting an end to the dagga-growing activities of local vagrants.

The Metro Police were alerted to the problem by Tshwane Nature Conservation that was recently granted control of the site. The area, on the corner of John Vorster and Nellmapius drives in Highveld, Centurion, is being transformed into a bird sanctuary called Findle Park.

Having long been a hide-out for vagrants, the situation turned dangerous when a group of 30 vagrants started stoning nature conservation workers tasked with clearing the area.

Tshwane nature conservationist Natalie Vos said they received complaints from their workers about the hostile vagrants. On further investigation the dagga plantation was found, which spanned more than a hectare. Pretoria News